


The Fourth Disciple

by Dark_Blue0



Category: Naruto
Genre: Hiruzen has sage mode, Jiraiya is a Hatake, Senju have wood style
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-08
Updated: 2019-09-25
Packaged: 2020-02-28 15:55:29
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 19
Words: 10,502
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18759616
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dark_Blue0/pseuds/Dark_Blue0
Summary: An orphaned child’s journey through ninja history, which will never be the same.





	1. It doesn’t get easier

Let’s face it, when your parents just died right in front of the stairs and some asshat from another village just set the majority of your house on fire with ninja magic. Jumping through that third story window that never bothers to open is about the only reasonable thing to do. Well that’s the thought process of one silver haired, golden eyed, nameless,and now orphaned 4 year old who is currently suffering some slight amnesia because, well all of that stuff just mentioned a few lines up. To catch you up on what’s going on at this time in ninja history, Hashirama Senju is dead, Madara Uchiha is pretending to be dead, Tobirama Senju is the Second Hokage, and the Second Shinobi World War is brewing fast.

Surprisingly, the kid sticks a pretty good landing, he tried to do a roll with the forward momentum of the jump but now has a dislocated shoulder. So not exactly perfect but let’s keep in mind he’s four and in shock, and you probably would have done worse. After laying face down in the dirt for a few hours, kept warm by his burning house, the boy manages to get up, looking behind him to see the collapsing embers that once were his home. He shakily stands to his feet, too overwhelmed to process the numb pain in his arm.

The boy looks the west, seeing the dark, billowing smoke rising from around where the other settlement a few miles away, here on the outskirts of the Land of Fire, did little to inspire hope that anyone else was alive, but seeing as it was the only place he could think to go he started walking. His parents had taken him there several times, there was a doctor there and he often got sick, something about him having more “chakraa” then was normal for his age, he didn’t really understand what that meant and it wasn’t important enough to think of now as he listened carefully to the woods around him for animals or anything really. The path was easy to follow but the plants had started trying to take it back as they hadn’t gone to the little town in more than a month, but as he came nearer to the place they’d usually stop for a picnic his stomach growled, but he had no food to assuage if so he kept walking.

He got about 1/4th of the way through the 3 mile walk before his eyes started to sag and the pain in his arm made itself known. He got another few feet before he collapsed entirely, falling unconscious. It was nearly three hours later that he came to consciousness again an orange fox was sitting before him, a large leaf with a pile of berries on top of it, once the fox saw that he was awake it scurried off. He sat there for a few minute before he came to the decision it was probably eat them and die or don’t eat them and possibly die, he ate them in large handfuls, it was only a few seconds before he ate all of them, but his stomach was satisfied. A few moments later the boy worked his way to his feet and started walking towards the still smoking settlement.


	2. A Failed Attack

As he continued what had become trudging along the path, he could see brief flashes of their fur, their almost glowing eyes, and hear their short breaths and light foot falls. The foxes of these woods were now following him as he made his way. As the en of trail grew nearer he wondered if they might come out of the thick underbrush and the trees into the small village now that there were likely no people left in it. Soon enough the boy got his answer as he exited the trees and the rustling of the paws halted before retreating, getting ever fainter as they returned to their secret den somewhere in the deep of the forest.

As he suspected, the small settlement had been raided, like his own many houses had been burned, some still stood but judging by the splatters of blood on the street it seemed unlikely anyone was still around. It had take nearly fifteen minutes but he had searched every unburnt house, he had found none alive, many dead, and food of these he had forced himself to consider the food the most important. He had also managed to find a few stray kunai, he took three of them with him as he gathered food and took it to one of the few completely empty houses. All the while he wondered why he had managed to survive when it seemed no one else had.

The boy gathered as much food as he could find into the small hut like house, he also brought as many pillows and blankets as he could find and arranged a bed of sorts, he would have tried to drag a mattress but the dark bruising on his dislocated shoulder and the stabbing pain whenever he tried to move it made him think better of attempting it. He stayed there for what felt like days, long enough for the smoke and embers to have all died down, eating as little of the food as he could and drinking from a well in the center of the small settlement, on what felt like maybe the fifth or sixth day he heard a group heading through the woods toward the little village. Not really knowing what to do, he hid in the hut like house, holding onto one of the kunai tightly with his good hand. He had no way to know how many there were but he could tell that they were no longer in the forest and were working their way through the little village.

He saw the shadow of one of them coming through the doorless entrance to the hut, his heart started beating faster as he tried to steady his breath, he adjusts his grip on the kunai and. Barely had he leapt from the hut when his arm was caught in such a way he had to drop the weapon. Dangling about two feet in the air, he is brought face to face with a pale, silver haired, red eyed man with a red mark under each eye and one on the chin. “Well, I do believe this is the first time someone so young made an attempt on the Hokage’s life” a low voice to the right said. “Ho...Hokage?” it was then the boy realized he hadn’t talked since this all started, it was this fact and the surprize that he’d just tried to kill the most powerful Shinobi in the land of fire with nothing but a kunai.


	3. What is your name child?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The boy’s arm gets healed, salving one problem for him, but what to do about a question he has no answer to?

Tobirama Senju was a ruthless man to be sure, but even he could tell by the ragged appearance of this child that the boy was not a trained assassin out for his life. “You’re parents are dead now, are they not.” He set the boy down, beckoning the rest of the small group over. “Lord Hokage, perhaps you might speak to the child more gently?” the same low voice as earlier says with some audible concern. Tobirama barely took his eyes off the child “Silence Hiruzen, this boy has the making of a fine Shinobi. Were it not for his inability to suppress his chakra that would have been an excellent surprise attack.” there it was again he thought, that C word, he still had no clue what it meant.

A gruff voice broke his contemplation, “Look at the bruising on that shoulder, potential Shinobi or not something happened to this place and it’s clear the kid is involved.” the one who spoke seemed to be in his late teens with a mane of white hair and red marks coming straight down from his black eyes. A voice with a slightly mocking undertone spoke next, “Tsunade, perhaps you’d better take a look at the poor boy, I’m sure that must be very painful for him.” the teen had long black hair and unusually pale skin, but his most unnerving feature by far were his snake like golden eyes which watched him coldly. A girl if similar age to the other boys with amber eyes, and blond hair sighed and walked towards the boy and her grand-uncle, “Orochimaru, Jiraiya, this boy has clearly been through enough.” she said as she knelt down weaving a modified Ox and the Tiger signs activating her Mystical Palm Technique, placing her chakra enveloped hand on the boys shoulder.

He felt a pleasant numbness where the feutre Sannin placed her hand when earlier there had been a underlying burning feeling. With her other hand Tsunade guided the boy to look at her “This is going to hurt a little, would you like something to bite on?” he shook his head as to say no. In one quick motion she grabbed his arm and rotated it causing an audible pop as his joint went back into place. The boy grunted in pain but it quickly faded with Tsunade’s medical ninjutsu never leaving his shoulder, the bruise also quickly disappearing.

“Tha…”, his voice still felt odd and faltered so he cleared his throat and tried again, “thanks.., it didn’t hurt as much as when it happened.” Tsunade smiles at him, standing up again and rejoining her former teacher and teammates, leaving him again with the man he’d tried to stab. Sensing the child’s unease Tobirama decided to start the conversation for the boy. He knelt down to look the boy in the face before he spoke “What is your name child?” as Hiruzen suggested he tried to have a softer tone to his voice, and make it a question instead of a statement. Wide golden eyes stared at the man for a short moment, then looked to the side, embarrassment made the child tense up before he spoke “I don’t know Lord Hokage,” he paused a moment before looking back into the Shinobi’s eyes, “I can’t remember what my parents called me.”


	4. The only choice, fight to survive!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A boy has a name, and soon all the world will know it!

The impassive face the boy was putting up did nothing to hide the distraught look in his eyes, or disguise the sorrowful undertone in the words he spoke. All four of the Shinobi present could not help but feel great pity for this child. Orochimaru, a fellow orphan, especially could relate to this kind of sadness and was the first to move to comfort the boy. “Your new name,” he says placing a hand on the boys shoulder “will be Shirubā Kumo of Konoha, a silver cloud to come from all of this tragedy.” he gives the boy an unusually genuine smile, unlike the twisted grins if malice which will very soon replace this kinder one permanently. Jiraiya lets out one of his barking laughs “Silver of the hidden leaf, I like it!” he pats Orochimaru on the back and smiles at the boy. “So,” Tsunade comes to stand with her teammates in front of the boy with the Second and fueter Third Hokage standing just behind them, “what do you say? Do you want to come back with us to the land of the Hidden Leaf and become a Shinobi?” she finishes with a smile, matching her teammates.

For a moment, the child didn’t really know how to react. Go to the village when he had practically just tried to kill their leader? How could they possibly be serious? Then he thought of the small pile of blankets and cushions behind him that had been his bed, the scarce amount of food he’d salvaged from the unburnet houses, and the fox’s which seemed only to risk leaving the woods at night to stand in front of the hut, how much longer would they be willing to do that for him. He had no choice, even if this was a false glimmer of hope he would clench it tight with his teeth if he had to to keep it. “Yes, I want to become a Shinobi!”. Who ever he had been, here with his parents and this little village, no longer mattered, if the choice was to stay here and die soon as a boy with no name like his family and this village had, or to fight for survival as Shirubā Kumo, then he would be the Silver Shinobi of The Hidden Leaf!


	5. A hopeful prospect.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The group takes Shirubā to the leaf and prepare for his entrance to the academy.

The group was walking together back to the Village, Shirubā asleep on Jiraiya’s shoulders, Lord Tobirama in the lead, Tsunade and Orochimaru on either side of their former teammate, and Hiruzen bringing up the rear, looking at the sleeping child. When first he had seen, the newly named, Shiruba from their vantage point in the forest trees, called out to investigate the reports of dark smoke clouds raising from an outlying settlement, he thought the boy must be fragile; in need of protection, with no family, barely any food, and his injured shoulder. When this small boy leapt from his shelter, kunai in hand, prepared to kill whoever had come upon him to survive, the Sarutobi man had begun to realize his mistake. When the boy had barely made a sound as his shoulder was reset he was certain he had been horribly wrong, and at last when he first saw the flickering fire in those golden eyes as the boy accepted their offer to become a soldier in a war the boy had already suffered losses from, Hiruzen Sarutobi knew beyond a shadow of a doubt the leaf had just gained an immeasurable treasure.

When they arrived at the gates, the guards announced their arrival as Nawaki ran out to greet Tsunade with a hug and asked about the boy on Jiraiya's back. Lord Second went off to arrange a place for the boy to stay and his enrollment into the Ninja Academy. Orochimaru lingered for a time then went off on his own once Jiraiya was called away to take the child to his new home and Tsunade went off with her brother. Hiruzen has a good feeling about this boy, he only hoped he was right this time. 

Hiruzen headed off to the markets, purchasing some basic supplies for Shirubā, kunai, shuriken, scrolls and the like. He got books on the fundamental aspects of Chakra and its manipulation, use of ninjutsu, taijutsu basics, and genjutsu principles. He couldn't tell what the boy’s affinities might be so he settled for getting the basics of them all. Well maybe his instructors would be able to figure it out, tomorrow would tell. The fueter Third Hokage had a sense that this pupil would not take long to graduate from the academy and this thought brought a smile to the thirty year old’s face.


	6. Wartime Measures

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hiruzen is plagued with many thoughts.

Silver, a nickname that seemed to be sticking, had been in the village for nearly two months. His grasp of the practical aspects of the Shinobi arts was advancing quickly, Tobirama’s assessment that the boy was destined to become an assassin seemed true as apparently even the Chunin instructor for his class couldn’t tell he had been in the room until he asked to be excused for the bathroom. Unfortunately a problem had quickly made itself known when the child attempted to perform a simple Substitution Jutsu, the moment the child began to mold his chakra he was wracked by a severe coughing fit.

Tsunade examined him with assistance from Biwako Sarutobi, my wife, together they surmised that the boy had an abnormally large amount of chakra for someone his age and his untrained body was incapable of properly processing it. They decided the most effective treatment would be to have him undergo more intensive physical training than the standard Gennin, Tsunade had gladly offered to take the boy under her wing and from the updates she gave him, Shirubā was doing well. As his body had began to grow in strength his ninjutsu capabilities saw marked improvement, he could perform consecutive Substitutions and Body Flickers, and seemed to have a knack for Transformation Jutsu. Hiruzen suspects it means the boy will have great skill in genjutsu. 

Blowing a plume of smoke out into the early summer air before inhaling more from his pipe, the Jonin wondered if perhaps the boy would need to be placed into the class that would be graduating later that coming september. As much as he didn’t want to admit it, the boy was developing quickly and keeping him contained to simple academy life and training might stifle his potential. Thoughts like these had brought him to the Hokage’s office that night, Hiruzen hadn’t even knocked when Tobirama opened the door. “What do you need so late in the evening?” the man looked weary, the other villages had been getting increasingly more aggressive and Hiruzen could tell that soon a war would start.

“Your assessment of the boy is proving corect, I feel it might be best to move him into a graduating class and supply him with a specialized teacher.” Tobirama steeped to the side to let Hiruzen in, offering him a seat as he poured some sake. “That would be placing him into the same year as the next Nine Tails host, the Uzumaki girl, as well as the promising Namikaze boy. He would not lack for formidable peers, the only issue is his actual preparedness for the difficult life style of a shinobi, would he fall behind on the battlefield.”

Battlefield, part of Hiruzen recoiled at the insinuation, that war was so close the horizon that Gennin might see the front. “If he is not so already, the academy will do little to prepare him further, he needs to be placed in the blazing forge if he is to reach his potential.” Hiruzen could tell that this truth was a comfort to neither of them, it was condemning the child to a life of conflict, but Tobirama relented then though it’d seemed to put even more weight on his burdened shoulders. The second Hokage nods his consent, the leaf will have another warrior before long.

The order went out just after dawn, the boys new teacher Kagami Uchiha was informed just before the official order. Jiraiya was sent tell Shirubā as they had found that the eccentric man had the best talent for telling the young boy possibly distressful information. That said it was decided Orochimaru would be the one who brought the boy to his first day as Hiruzen though it would help foster the twos relationship and bring the snake summoner further out of his shell. Perhaps selfish of Hiruzen to do, but not without benefit to Shirubā who was on good terms with all of Hiruzen’s former students. He wondered how it would go for the boy as he sat himself down for another smoke.


	7. Change of Plans

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A glance at the morning life for our young Shinobi.

Silver woke up in his small single person apartment, after stretching the last bit out of sleep from his arms and legs, he got up and walked to the bathroom and started running water for a bath. Heading to the kitchen he placed two pieces of bread into the toaster and poured himself a cup of apple juice, downing it quickly. Once his toast was ready he slathered some jam onto each piece, taking one with him as he checked on his bath water. A few moments later he quickly dressed himself, as he was headed to the door a knock on his window stopped him.

There at his window stood Jiraiya, in his casual green and white kimono shirt, and matching pants, walking over Silver opened the window. “What brings you here this morning Jiri?” the boy had settled on calling the older man this nickname before the end of his first month in the village, and it usually brought a smile to his face as it did now. “Can I come in, I have something the old man wanted me to tell you.” the boy stepped to the side and offered him a seat on his bed, waiting to know what it is Hiruzen had to say vicariously through his friend.

Jiraiya let out a worried sigh as he considered howto word this, none of them had heard of him becoming particularly attached to his class but that didn’t intrinsically mean he wasn’t. “The old man and Lord Hokage have decided that it is best for your development as a shinobi if you are moved into the class that graduates this coming September.” the boy had sat next to him on the bed “September,” he said slowly, “when is September?” his voice wasn’t carrying any hints of sadness which was reliving, he simply sounded qurious. “Hmm, lets see,” he tapped his chin with his pointer finger, “it’s in roughly three months.” silver nodded and looked up from the floor, “I’ll be five in three months.”

Jiraiya smiled and patted the boy on the head, and told him that Orochimaru would be the one to show him to his new class in a few moments, then disappeared in a puff of smoke. Silver didn’t wait for Orochimaru to show up, he just started walking, he was halfway to the school when he noticed the snake like man walking beside him. They didn’t engage in any conversation for the rest of the walk, the boy just followed the slight shift in the anglings of the older Shinobi’s walking gait for the directions to his new class. It was only when he placed his hand on the door to his new class that Orochimaru did anything of note at all, just as he was pulling the door open he felt a hand on his shoulder. The chill from the other man’s touch made him turn his head slightly and hault slightly as he entered the room.


	8. Approach the Arena

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shirubā has his introduction to the class, and Kagami-sensei informs them that it will be a day for combat training.

Silver didn’t stall for long, he quickly made his way up to Kagami-sensei, giving him a small nod and waiting for instruction on what to do. The Uchiha wasn’t sure of what to make of the boy, he was younger than any of the other children in this class, and small as well. But both Lord Second and Hiruzen believed in him so Kagami would give the boy the benefit of the doubt for the time being. Turning his head to look at the rest of his class Kagami cleared his throat, “As you can see, we have a new shinobi with us today. Introduce yourself.” Silver nodded again, facing the rest of the class “My name is Shirubā Kumo, I’m from the outskirts of the land of fire, and I’m four.” A small chuckle ran through the class but Silver just turned back to Kagami-sensei and looked up at ho “where do you want me to sit?” Kagami shrugged and stood up, “We can worry about that next time, today we are heading outside for taijutsu training, I hope you all brought kunai and shuriken.” his tone was relaxed but Kagami was slightly worried, with this new student and the Uzumaki girl, who kept getting into fights, a taijutsu day was the last thing he wanted.

The class gathered at the sparring grounds, Kagami told the class to go through their individual warm ups, pulling Shirubā to the side. “You probably shouldn’t participate in any of the spar matches today, or for some time, many of these kids have years of experience on you and aren’t going to take it easy on you because of your age.” He was almost able to see the track these words took through the child's body to reach his mind, his face twitched somewhat down in a frown, but he mainly maintained his passive look. Still, something stayed in his eyes. He wasn’t sure if it was anger or acceptance, but those pits of molten gold were keeping something in them and refused to let it go.

“Kagami-sensei, I decided to become a shinobi, I want to do that the true way,” he looks down, away from his teacher. Kagame is sure he’s speaking from the heart but he’s equally sure the boy’s heart doesn’t know where it needs to go. “not the hard way or the easy way, but whatever way the world pushes me toward, I won't volunteer to fight, but I won’t back away from a challenge.” He looks up again and now that emotion is closer to the surface of his eyes, were the boy an Uchiha Kagame was sure he'd be looking into a pair of sharingan right now. “Very well, but if you’re being overwhelmed I will step in.” Shirubā nods, and the two join the ring around the small area. The first person to step into the arena was not who Kagame expected. Minato stood perfectly in the middle of the rectangle, looking dead on the youngest among them as he said “I want to challenge Kumo-kun.”


	9. The Show Begins

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Silver’s first day and first match in his new class, how will he deal with the future Yellow Flash of the Leafe.

Minato stood perfectly in the middle of the rectangle, looking dead on the youngest among them as he said “I want to challenge Kumo-kun.” He Had heard some of the other kids who had been rude to Kushina-san, discussing their plan to intimidate Shirubā-kun by beating him in sparring. He was determined to give the kid a fairer shake. He would try to show the boy the proper amount of respect, but he had to school himself to not injure him either. 

Shirubā narrowed his eyes somewhat, he had heard about the Namikaze’s from Jiraiya. A family of notable shinobi, not a noble clan but consistent with their high level shinobi. The most recent addition to their ranks was now in the ring waiting for him. He stepped forward with slow, deliberately meek steps. If there was one thing he needed when going up against a known name, it would be to seem like nothing at all. “Remember, this is sparing, do not attack with killing intent.” the two boys nod to their Sensei before both taking stances.

Minato-san was hesitant to fight him, Shirubā could tell just by the way he was holding his stance. When he stood opposite Tsunade for training, she was much more relaxed, she knew how she was going to attack before he ever showed up for their daily matches. Minato was much more taut, Namekaze-san was glancing to several parts of his stance as well as subtly trying to adjust his own away from, what he figured, was probably the stance he was trained to be comfortable with, to one he seemed less familiar with. Not one to make illuse of an opponent he might actually be able to make some headway against in a fight while they were busy underestimating him he built up the necessary chakra for his opening move. His hand flew into the Tigger hand sign, in his mind the technique name echoed Body Flicker! In a whirl of leafs he disappeared, reappearing mid air behind Minato, swinging his leg in a powerful kick.

Whatever Minato had been expecting of his younger opponent, a body flicker hadn’t been high on his list, luckily his reflexes were ready where his mind had been lagging. He ducked quickly under the kick, placing both his hands on the ground for support to do a handstand. Landing a blow to the other boy’s exposed back, more on instinctive reflex than with real intent, the blow sent the kid rolling. Shiruba tucked his arms into his chest as he made impact with the ground, he rolled a few times before he managed to stop himself. Minato-san had hit him quickly, but the blow had much less power than even the softest blow Tsuna hit him with.

Ending up in a low, wide legged crouch with one arm was under him for balance, the other came up and reached for the kunai holster on his left thigh. He flung it at a very high speed at his opponent. To make it more difficult for Minato-san, Shiruba wove the Ram→Snake→Tiger signs for the Clone Technique. His jutsu made his single kunai seem like five, one in the center with two above and besides to make a star formation. Kagami was quickly realizing, only slower than perhaps the boys opponent, that Shirubā needed no help for this contest, and his class had been stunned into silence as they watched.

Minato didn’t have the space to go soft like he had thought, so now it was time to kick himself into full performance mode. He didn’t have the time to distinguish which kunai was the real one, so he decided to simply not be in its way. He gathered his chakra, pooling it into his legs primarily but distributing throughout his entire body. This process took him scant seconds, fewer passed before he disappeared completely from Shirubā’s line of sight. Shirubā glanced from left to right, knowing his front was covered by the kunai and assuming the beneath him wouldn’t be where Minato-san would attack from, he was preparing to lunge forward into a roll to avoid the attack from either behind or above when he was blindsided.

That kick was harder than the last one, and Shirubā was certain it would leave a mark as he stumbled face forward. He caught himself in a handspring, turning midway through and dashing forwards, kunai in hand the second he feet touched the ground. The only problem was his opponent was gone again, he was starting to turn his head again when the fist connected with his right cheek. Minato expected to knock the boy off his feet again or at least disorient him, he wasn’t prepared for his arm to be grabbed in a steely grip by two small hands. He was less prepared when he felt himself being lifted and flipped backwards towards the ground.


	10. The Conclusive Manœuvre

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shirubā and Minato’s sparing session continues, but who will bring this battle to a close and by what means.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just want to thank all of y'all for reading, leaving kudos, and commenting. You guys are the biggest motivation for me to keep writing. I also love the support you guys show for the original character in this story.

Minato expected to knock the boy off his feet again or at least disorient him, he wasn’t prepared for his arm to be grabbed in a steely grip by two small hands. He was less prepared when he felt himself being lifted and flipped backwards towards the ground. Shirubā had adjusted to the strength behind Minato’s blows, and while it was harder to get a beat on his speed, he’d caught a blur of yellow in his peripheral and tensed the muscles of his neck to keep his head from getting wiped by the punch. As quickly as he could he grabbed Namikaze-san’s arm, using his chakra to help him lift the other boy over his head and throw him to the ground.

The rest of the class watched Minato-san’s feet leave the ground and his back hurtling to it. Minato managed to get his legs underneath him to stop his downwards momentum, once his feet hit the ground he kicked his leg out behind him. Shirubā was ill placed to stop the kick so he let his grip on Minato-san’s arm go, jumping up he lands crouching on the blonde boys leg. He lands his first successful hit when he gets a straight kick to the back of his head.

Minato’s vision blurred as his skull exploded in pain, he stumbled forward, launching a line of seven shuriken behind himself as he tried to regain focus. He vaguely heard the clanging of metal as his eyes came back into focus, followed by the whiz of something being thrown. He gathered as much chakra as he could, weaving the Tiger→Boar→Ox→Dog→Snake signs just as the kunai would have hit he performs his Body Replacement Jutsu, a log taking his place. He took the opening created by the smoke and confusion of his substitution and used a Body Flicker, appearing again behind Shirubā-san with a kunai at his neck.

“Match!” Kagami-sensei’s voice rang clear as the match came to a close. Shirubā sighed but accepted the loss, he had exhausted a fair amount of the chakra he could call on and doubted he’d be able to do much more to the older student. Minato lowered his knife, he wasn’t convinced the maneuver had been enough to finish the fight but he would accept the victory. “Make the friendship sign and exit the ring.” Kagami was impressed by both his students, he had activated one of his sharingan during the last exchange and though he didn’t look it, the younger student was running out of chakra but he would be rewarded for his performance against one of his best pupils. Shirubā turned around and put his hand forward met by Minato’s. The two nod to each other, and turn to leave the ring, Minato standing with the rest of the class, Shirubā slightly off to the side drawing chakra back into himself. The rest of the class look at him sidelong, they had misjudged yet another new student. The Red Hot Habanero and now The Outsider Silver.


	11. Potential Wasted

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Danzō learns about Shirubà.

Danzō’s mind was buzzing with the low hum of building anger, as well as desire, the last images of two young academy students making the peace sign and leaving the arena running repeat in his mind. Shirubà Kumo, the man lets out a long hum. The thought ‘How long was Hiruzen planning to keep this from me?’ ran through his head.

He’d heard that there was a bright student who Hiruzen had gotten moved up in the academy, when he went to see the child perform he was rather impressed, but it soon dawned on his this was his first time hearing the name or seeing the boy in the village. He asked Homura and Koharu about it and they were similarly unfamiliar with him. It took him asking Lord Second to find out the whole story. Seeing such potential wasted in this way was almost offensive to him. Putting the boy through the standard shinobi’s training when he was exactly the kind of child when he was exactly what his Root Organization needed. 

He had tried to explain this to Lord Hokage, but the man didn’t seem to understand the opportunity they had with this boy. No family, no one in the village knew him well yet. The only people who had been aware of his existence before he came here were either dead or thought he was already. Let there be no doubt if he could get his hands on this boy, the future of his organization would be secured. And he would do whatever was necessary to get the boy to join him.


	12. Not part of the story

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just wanted to go over some ideas and general concepts I've been thinking about that I either already am applying in the story or I might do so later, please share your thoughts in the comments.

So the only thing that I'm already having apply in the story is that nature combination Kekkei Genkai/Tota such as, Lava Release, Magnet Release, and Wood Release aren't fully limited to the people of specific families but are just techniques that can be taught to anyone who has mastery over the elements that they are composed of, and some of them are just common in some families like how all Uchiha naturaly have fire style. What this means most immediatly is that many if not all Senju clan characters you see in this story will have wood style to some degree and Hashirama was just very talented. Now some things I'm just kinda thinking about are; Having the Rinnegan not just be yet another version of the Sharringan, but a dojutsu belonging to the Uzumaki clan. With its connection to the concept of rebirth, their clan's invention of sealing jutsu that summons the literal god of death for their world, and them also being descendants of the Ōtsutsuki clan like the other two/three clans with the Three Great Eyes I think it could work, plus it would explain why it took basically all of the nations, except for the land of fire, outside of them "having an affinity for sealing jutsu". Then I'm thinking about having it be where there are different versions of certain nature transformation combinations. Like how Earth Release with Water Release makes Wood Release, but it also makes Mud Release, and there also seems to be two different types of Magnet Release the kind that Gaara and the other Kazekage have with their sand/dust but also Toroi from the Hidden Cloud who has a more standard type of magnetism. Well that's all I'm thinking of at the moment, again I'd love to hear your opinions on these things in the comments, the next chapter will cover Shirubā getting some help training after his match with Minato.


	13. Intrusion on the Training Grounds

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Silver makes his way to his usual training spot after class, but the person he finds there waiting for him was not who he expected.

Shirubā had gone to rest against a tree after his match, regathering his chakra whilst the rest of the matches went on, eventually he fell asleep. In his prone state he hadn’t noticed the small group of boys who’d gathered around after their matches. But Kushina noticed them, and she remembered the look they were giving the sleeping boy, they’d had the same look in their eyes when they were making fun of her hair. With a shared look to Mikoto Uchiha they both walked up behind the group and Kushina cleared her throat, “You guys are all a bunch of kreeps, leave him alone or else.” 

The boys took one look at the girls, Kushina with her hands on her hips and Mikoto with her arms crossed, and came to the conclusion they wouldn’t do well against either of them. They scattered with mumbles of “Not worth the time.” and “He got lucky this time.” as they left. The girls watched like hawks as the group dispersed, their attention so focused that they both jumped slightly when a voice spoke out in between them. “Thank you both,” Shirubā had gotten up and stood beside them, “I hoped they would just lose interest if I stayed still for long enough, but it was looking like I was going to have to get up and deal with them soon.”

The calm way he’d said it was a bit unnerving to the girls, but they shook it off quickly, helped along by the wide smile he gave them both. “So, my name is Shirubā Kumo, Silver to friends. What are your names?” The shift in his demeanor was jarring, he’d been so serious during his match and when he introduced himself to the class, but now he looked very much his young age. Golden eyes shining and smile bright, Kushina couldn’t help but squeal internally at how cute he seemed, Mikoto had similar musing but was keeping a better poker face as Kushina looked at the boy as if he were a baby kitten. “My name’s Kushina Uzumaki, and you are just so cute y’know!” Mikoto had to give the boy some help getting his hand out of the steely grip she’d started shaking it, and him, in. 

Once he was back on his feet and his eyes came back into focus, and after a sheepish apology from the now calmed down Kushina. Mikoto extended her hand, “Mikoto from the Uchiha clan, you did very well in your match today. Minato is a very promising Shinobi.” Shiribā accepted the hand shake with a nod, “To tell the truth, I'm not sure how it would have gone had he started the fight not underestimating me, I’m glad I did so well.” Kushina huffed to the side so they changed the topic of discussion, the three found conversation easy enough, when Kagami-sensei called an end to the day and dismissed the class they exchanged pleasant fair wells. 

Shirubā spared a glance at Minato before jumping into the trees, he started making his way deeper into the training grounds forest. Once his chakra control had started to improve, his daily plan had changed from pure physical training with Tsuna after class to a different member of team Hiruzen depending on who was available. Tsunade had been sticking with taijutsu lessons, Orochimaru started teaching him the basics of kenjutsu, and Jiraiya had been working on his deftness with forming hand seals as well as his basic ninjutsu techniques. As the usual grounds they used were coming into view he slowed, the person standing in the clearing was not someone he expected. The man had his back to him but he could tell who it was instantly, and his being there made the boy nervous.


	14. A Test and A Challenge

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shirubā gets surprised on the training grounds.

As the usual grounds they used were coming into view Shirubā slowed, the person standing in the clearing was not someone he expected. The man had his back to him but he could tell who it was instantly, and his being there made the boy nervous. Slowly, slowly he drew his chakra into himself, a technique he’d read about in one of the many books on ninjutsu he’d bought for himself. First his chakra become muddled, then it grew faint as if retreating, then it vanished from sense, then he slowly climbed down from the tree. Carefully as he’d made his way down the tree, he worked his way closer to the edge of the brush. Taking a quiet, shallow breath, he pulls a kunai from one of his weapon bags.

Silver threw it with good aim and speed, it met its mark, lodging itself in the back of the man’s neck. His eyes widen in shock as he hadn't expected the kunai to actually hit its mark. His eyes widened further when the man exploded in a puff of smoke and the kunai he’d thrown was placed against the exact same spot where it had hit on the shadow clone. “Your aim was good, and you’ve gotten better at masking both your breathing and your chakra, however both went away too quickly to be natural and you made far too much sound during your approach.” Though he was disappointed with himself, Lord Tobirama sounded impressed enough with his attempt. The older man backed away, careful not to break skin with the knife, flipping it in his hand so Shirubā could take it back by the handle. 

“Were the others busy today?” Tobirama nodded his head, “Yes, the whole team was sent on a mission to accompany the Fire Daimyō on a journey, today I will be assisting you in your training.” As Tobirama was speaking, Shirubā made his way through the bushes the separated the forest from the training ground, the second Hokage following behind. “What are you going to teach me, Lord Second?” he looks back and up at the man. “Tobirama-sensei will be fine for instances such as these. Today I will begin your training into the matter of transforming your chakra into elemental techniques.” As the man spoke he produced five sheets of paper from the pockets of his sweatpants.

Tobirama hands him one of the sheets, letting the boy look it over before he spoke “I want you to channel your chakra into this piece of paper, think of nothing other than this task.” He looked down at the child passively, for which he revived a not from the boy before he closed his eyes. Tobirama could sense the chakra building inside of Shirubā, his ability to amass the energy inside of him was improving by the day, but Tobirama’s abilities as a sensory type told him there was still so much untapped. If the average academy student possessed a puddle of chakra from which to draw, Shirubā had already a lake awaiting inside, and it would only grow as he trained. 

Shirubā closed his eyes, digging deep into himself even as he pooled the energy he brought it out of himself. Once enough was gathered he channeled it up through his torso, down his arm and finally into his hand that held the paper. It felt like it has sagged in his hand, and grew cold, Shirubā opened his eyes to discover that it was now quite wet. Tobirama nodded his head, so Shirubā had an affinity for water transformation jutsu.

“You can drop that bit of paper now.” Shirubā opened his eyes and let the soggy bit a paper fall away, wiping his fingers on his pants. Lord Tobirama handed him another piece of the paper, ”We know now that you have an affinity for water style justu, now I want you to channel your chakra into this slip of paper but with the specific intention of causing it to crumble into dust.” Looking at the paper, he wondered how he could make it do something like that.


	15. Copycat Lessons

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Silver continues to ponder how to accomplish the task the Nidaime has set before him.

Shirubā stood for a time, puzzled by the Hokage’s request, to turn a piece of paper to dust would obviously take chakra of some sort. He thought back to the ninja who, through some exertion of chakra brought most of his home to ashes with fire. What was dust he thought, what composed it, just glancing to the dirt covered ground brought him the answer.

Earth and dust were all the same thing, this understanding did little to bring him closer to his goal. Turn paper to dust. He sat down, cross legged, he reached his free hand out and took a hand full of dirt, running his fingers through the dryness of it. He let it slip away from his palm, looking to the paper, and he imagined it falling away from his fingers in the same dry way.

Slowly Shirubā built the chakra up, letting it build in him like stones, once it was built high enough he directed it down his arm as freely as dust. Once the dust reached his palm he saw the paper go brown, cracks formed and the paper fell away as dust. “Good assessment skills, you figured out the element you were attempting to emulate with your chakra quickly.” Tobirama placed a hand on his head. “What are the effects for other nature transformations?” Shiruba looked up at him, gold meeting gold. 

Tobirama pulled one of the other pieces from his pocket, standing now in front of Shirubā he held it between his index and middle finger. “Wind,” the paper split, clean and evenly down the middle. “Lightning,” the paper on the right crinkled up. “And, as you might have guessed, Fire.” the piece to the left caught flame and turned to ash.

Shirubā looked on highly impressed by this display of chakra mastery, both in the Hokage’s skill with elemental chakra transformations, but also his ability to channel his chakra so precisely that the two slips of paper could be selectively affected. “Will I be able to use all of the chakra transformations like that?” Tobirama shrugs, “There is no way to know how many you will be able to use, you have shown yourself capable of at least Water and Earth.” Shirubā nods his understanding.

“Are you going to teach me Jutsu in those elements, or do you want me to try and figure out how to use the other elements?” He turns his head somewhat to the side in question. Tobirama seemed to ruminate on it for a few moments, he could see the value in either choice. Developing his ability with each element would grant him more versatility when he started to learn jutsu, however if it came to be he only had an ability with the two nature transformations then it would be wasted time spent on a task the boy couldn’t complete. 

He also had to consider the fact that there was only so much time before this boy’s graduation examination, and more pressingly the war that at this point seemed an inevitability. “For the time being I think it would be best for you to focus on learning jutsu that match the elemental affinities that we know you can make use of.” He said an air of finality. Tobirama spent the next few hours teaching Shirubā the combinations of hand signs that would let him call on certain jutsu from either element. Eventually the time came where he said he was out of time and the Shadow Clone vanished in a puff of smoke.


	16. A Walk Without Moonlight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A Root operative kidnaps our young Shinobi after his long day of training.

Shhirubā spent much longer at the training ground than he usually would after his lessons from Lord Tobirama. He was determined to get more familiar with as many of the techniques as he could before there were any classes focused on Ninjutsu. When the sun had begun to sink below the gate and Shiruba began to fumble over even his slow attempts at the hand signs he decided it was time to head home. With a small yawn and stretch he started the trek from the training grounds in the forest to his apartment.

His apartment was rather close to the hospital, Tsunade had chosen a training ground very close the the main gate near the Hatake Clan compound. If he had been training with Jiraiya this late he might just spend the night there, in this instance he would just have to stick with the long walk. He was just passing by the Police department when the street lamps flickered on.

No one else seemed to be walking around, which wasn’t uncommon near the Police Headquarters and Uchiha Compound. Shirubā’s eyes seemed to kept getting heavier and before long he found himself considering one of the benches for sleep. Before the unconscious child could hit the ground the the Root Shinobi who had been trailing him since Lord Second had left several hours ago. Even though the boy had been exhausted, it took some time for the genjutsu to finally lull him to sleep.

Once the boy was held firmly she made her way through the shadows to the Root Organization hideout. Careful not to draw the attention of any sensory nin who might be familiar with her chakra signature or this child’s, she avoided the streets, going by the ring trees that surrounded the village until she came to the clearing near the main gate of the village, there she scaled the wall using chakra to affix herself. The Root Shinobi walked up to the mid point where the shadows were thickest without bringing her in range of the senses of the Guards stationed at the top of the gate. 

She continued like this even past the other side of the clearing, only coming back down once she passed the river that ran through the west side of the village. There she returned to the woodland floor, she passed quietly through the forest the hidden entrance to their headquarters was open awaiting them. She navigated her way through the subterranean base until she came to their meeting chamber where Lord Danzo was waiting. “Excellent. You have done well Nonou, this will secure the future of safety of the Hidden Leaf.” 

Danzo came close, she assumed he would place the Cursed Tongue Eradication Seal on the boy, instead he just placed a hand on his head. It was a tender action that honestly startled her greatly, but with her face obscured she did not show this shock. “Take him to one of the single rooms, far from the exits,” Danzō said, removing his hand “He’s been learning from too many high profile shinobi for us to assume he will not escape, regardless of his age.” Then Danzō turned and left.


	17. The Room

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Silver finds himself in room with no windows or doors, what to do, what to do.

When Shhirubā woke up he was alone in a dimly lit room. There were no windows and the door was not readily apparent. There seemed to be a desk of sorts protruding from the concrete wall. He noted that his tool kit and kunai holster had been taken, his clothes remained the same. His long sleeved, balck, sweater; thigh length, dark green shorts, and grey sandals hadn’t been changed, and his hair remained tied back as well, reaching midway down his back. 

He pulled up both of his sleeves, he found exactly what he hoped. On his forearms were scrolls; the one on his left arm contained 20 kunai and the one on his right arm held 45 shuriken. Reaching up to the cord that held his hair back, he followed the obscured ends of this cord into the thick stands of his hair, he had attached another scroll and hidden it in his hair with the cord it contained the chisa katana Orochimaru had given him for their kenjutsu practice. He knew he was still armed which is the only comfort he needed now, that settled he took the time to thoroughly examine the room. 

The cot he’d woken up on was attached to the wall by four beams of metal, two at either end of the bed, bolted in with iron rods. He checked the panels of wood under the bed for weakness, managing to find one he pried it up with a summoned kunai from the scroll. There was some pipage and wires underneath. He decided that it would be useless to try pulling up more planks and cut through the metal and dangerous to cut the wires, instead he pulled the scroll containing his sword from his hair, the cord coming with it causing his hair to fall around his face.

He adhered the scroll to the underside of the panel, doing his best to put it back in an exact way that would still let him pull it out later. Should his first escape fail, which was more than certainly going to be the case, his captors would likely search him and, hopefully, put him back in this room. Better risk losing the gift, than not have a potential weapon later. That settled he turned his attention to the desk, stashing the kunai he’d pulled into a hidden pocket of his inner sleeve, he found a number of decently sized books on the desk. Oddly they seemed almost tailored for him, they were books on water style nature transformation jutsu, earth style nature transformation jutsu, and yin release?

With no real alternative for the time being, he settled on the bed and started reading. He read for what he figured had been an hour, finishing seven of the fifteen books, when he finally heard footsteps approaching his room. When he estimated them to be roughly twenty steps away he got off of the cot and walked to the wall, doing his best to time his steps with the other person’s, flattening himself against it. 

The steps stopped on the other side of the wall, and for a moment nothing happened, then “Earth Style: Wall Removal.” The entire wall started to sink down into the earth, Silver recognized that an ambush wasn’t an option at this rate so instead he got as far from the wall as he could. A male voice started to speak as the top of the person’s head began to appear over the wall. “I’ve brought your foo-” that's as far as the apparently masked man got with his sentence before Silver charged at the sinking wall, using chakra to run up it and enhance his strength. He delivered a kick to the side of the man’s head with enough force to send them tumbling back into the opposite wall for support, dropping the tray of basic food. “Wha- Why you little shit, I’ll-” again Silver cut him off only this time it was by throwing the kunai at his throat.

The older shinobi dodged the kunai almost with contempt, the boy’s chakra enhanced fist however found its mark in his gut. The young shinobi’s blow was a far cry from Tsunade’s, but it was enough to knock the wind from the man and leave him prone to the next kick delivered again to his head. This one managed to knock him unconscious. Silver jumped up and pulled his kunai from the wall, doing a quick search of the man he didn’t find anything. Picking up some of the food still on the tray, he ate quickly then made his way quietly through the dark halls of this unknown base.


	18. Before he gets out he Swears

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Silver makes his way through the unfamiliar base.

The alarm sounded soon after he escaped, he had been marking every turn he took using the Finger Carving Seal Jiraya had taught him as an exercise in fine chakra control, scoring the corners of every wall. He could hear a group approaching, he quickly adhered himself to the wall climbing a few feet off the ground. Once he was deep enough in the shadows of the darkly lit base he weaved a set of signs, taking a deep breath he hoped would last long enough. When he’d read about the Hiding in Shadows Technique he didn’t think it would be used to hide from kidnapers but if it got the results he needed he wouldn’t complain.

The group passed by a few seconds later, he counted four of them, he couldn’t tell what they were talking about. They passed by soon enough, once they rounded the corner he let out the breath he’d been holding and let himself fall back to the ground. He made sure to land softly, and his sandals made only the softest clack on contact, this effort was clearly a waste he discovered as all four of them were pointing kunai down at him in a square formation. Still trying to catch his breath he resolved to master his chakra suppression technique before he got out of this place.

“It’s time to give up child, you have no hope against us.” The voice was female, it seemed to belong to the one standing at his left back side. He had to weigh his options quickly, he might still be able to get out of this if they were expecting him to be unskilled. They would probably confiscate his weapons and tie his hands if he just gave up. At the very least he needed it to be harder to reach him.

Choice made, as he stood he weaved the Snake Sign. “Water Release: Exploding Water Colliding Wave.” from his mouth massive amounts of water spilled out, filling the hallway to where his hips would be were he not using chakra to stand on the water. The root members all jumped to higher ground, standing on the rock walls of the corridor, again Silver formed the Snake Sign “Earth Release: Reverse Antion.” The stone wall around two of the Root members became like mud, quickly it crawled up their bodies and solidifying around their chests. The other two jumped away landing back on the water and rushing at him from either side while the others watched from their trapped positions wondering how they'd been caught by a child and what the punishment for it might turn out to be.

Pulling out two kunai, he made a dash towards the one facing him, when the space between him and the Female Root member was scarce Silver let his chakra hold on the water loosen. He slipped beneath the surface, gliding underneath her, sticking his kunai out to slash at her Achilles Tendons. The sickening sight of her tendons recoiling insider of his opponent made him gag, but he had no time to worry for one of his captors. Reemerging from beneath the water to face the remaining Anbu member was still coming at him, shuriken flying at him with great speed. He had been taught a water jutsu that could create a wall of defensive water, but there wasn’t time for the signs. Silver chose instead to pool chakra into his foot, slamming it into the water. This caused the liquid to surge upward and disrupted the trajectory of the flying weapons just enough that they slipped passed him.

The Root Member came rushing through the water, a kunai breaking through first, thrust at him. Silver shifted his stance and weight, the blade lopped off a chunk of his hair but didn’t manage to touch him. He jumped up, wrapping his legs around the arm holding the knife, using his core so carry his momentum further upward, turning in the air to throw his two kunai at the older ninja. The man jumped backwards, avoiding the kuani as he tried to locate the boy by the sound of his sandals slapping against the wall. He’d just caught a glimpse of the child shinobi on the wall running upward at an angle when the boy jumped at him, feet outward to kick him. The older boy caught Silver by his calves, tossing him with enough force that he skids on the water, channeling his chakra into his hands and feet to slow and stop himself, looking back up at the older boy from his crouched position.


	19. Fight to Escape

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Silver continues his attempts to defeat the Root members and get away.

“Shirubā Kumo, it is time you went back to your room.” The shinobi’s voice had confirmed his gender and his being older, mid teenage was Silver guess no older than nineteen. It annoyed him to hear anyone other than Hiruzen, his three students, and Lord Second say his name which had been a gift. When his fellow students and his sensei said it he could tolerate it, with this unknown kidnapper it just made him angrier than he already had been.

Calling up more chakra, and with a determined glint in his eyes he sprang from his crouched position into a sprint. “You don’t get to call me that.” His words left his mouth at the same time his feet left the ground, his kick to the teens head was met with a simple block. When the other arm reached out to strike him, he dodged around the palm strike. Grabbing the others forearm and spinning it around, when he landed back on the ground he channeled his chakra similarly to how he flipped Minato.

This time however the older boy dealt with it much smoother, even as the Root members feet were leaving the ground he was pulling out a kunai and attaching a rope to it. Kicking off as much as he could while he was still in contact with the ground, he broke free of Silver’s hold and launched the weapon. Silver didn’t manage to see the rope attached to the weapon and attempted to jump out of its way getting him tangled.

His arms ended up tied behind his back, arms stuck to his side, he landed in a kneeling position facing his masked opponent. “There now, it’s time to take you back.” his opponent started walking toward him confidently. Forming the tiger sign and channeling his chakra through the water at his feet he cast his jutsu quickly a Water Style: Water Fang Bullet Jutsu. Five drill like water projectiles fire at the teen from all sides, he manages to dodge four but the one that it its mark takes a gash out of his calf, using one of the dodged projectiles Silver cuts the ropes off of his body.

As the root member lands Silver uses the body flicker technique, appearing in front of him, gathering chakra at the front of his fist and releasing it as he makes contact with the teen’s cheek, sending him into the adjacent wall. The root member was knocked out by the blow itself, sliding down against the wall. Silver takes a moment to catch his breath, he’d burnt through a great deal of stamina and most of his chakra, but he with the fight now doubt having drawn attention he chooses to get running again.


End file.
